DDSC enters operational phase on Abu Dhabi’s ADI Chain, targeting institutional payments and treasury workflows
ABU DHABI – International Holding Company (IHC), First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and Sirius International Holding have received final approval from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) to launch the UAE dirham-backed stablecoin DDSC, marking a major milestone in the country’s regulated digital-asset strategy.
First announced in April 2025 as a joint initiative between IHC and FAB, DDSC now transitions from development to live operation. Sirius International Holding has joined the consortium to support deployment, integration, and institutional adoption.
The stablecoin will operate on ADI Chain, an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by Abu Dhabi’s ADI Foundation.
Institutional-Grade Digital Payments
DDSC is designed for high-value, regulated use cases, including:
- Payments and collections
- High-value settlement and treasury operations
- Trade and supply-chain finance
- Programmable financial services for regulated entities
The stablecoin will be made available to FAB customers through multiple approved platforms, with an emphasis on compliance, transparency, and operational integrity.
Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC, framed the approval as a foundational step for the UAE’s digital economy.
“With the Central Bank’s approval and our transition into live operation, we are delivering trusted, institutional-grade infrastructure that strengthens resilience, accelerates innovation, and expands what is possible in regulated digital payments,” he said.
Shueb added that DDSC is designed to enable secure, automated value transfer—”including future machine-to-machine transactions and trade between AI agents as the autonomous economy evolves.”
Regulatory Rigour Meets Blockchain Infrastructure
Futoon Hamdan AlMazrouei, group head of personal, business, wealth and privileged client banking at FAB, said stablecoins can be integrated responsibly when built to meet rigorous regulatory standards.
“FAB is enabling DDSC to seamlessly combine regulatory oversight with blockchain infrastructure, providing secure, scalable solutions that support institutional and government clients across the UAE’s evolving digital economy,” she said.
Ajay Hans Raj Bhatia, group CEO of Sirius International Holding, described the approval as the beginning of a new phase.
“With DDSC now live, we are entering a new phase of regulated digital finance. Sirius will support this national initiative by helping accelerate adoption and unlock real-world institutional applications, enabled by ADI’s sovereign blockchain infrastructure and underpinned by the UAE’s clear regulatory leadership,” he said.
What It Means
The CBUAE’s approval positions the UAE among a small group of jurisdictions with a fully regulated, fiat-backed stablecoin in live operation. DDSC’s focus on institutional and enterprise use cases—rather than retail speculation—distinguishes it from many global peers.
The initiative also reinforces Abu Dhabi’s broader ambition to become a hub for regulated digital finance and sovereign blockchain infrastructure.
United Arab Emirates Dirham Exchange Rate
